Is BJD really just for adults? And adults, what do you think of kids who like them?

I'm also fifteen, and despise- to the point of almost fear- beng treated like a child. All of my friends are older, some of them even full-fledged adults. I gravitate towards young adults or teenagers older than me, and actually don't get along (generally) with people my own age.

I know what you're talking about with people being all 'RAWR!', I ran across that sort of thing in a thread in the archives a while ago, about whether there should be an age cut-off for meets, I think... but a bunch of people were talking about how teenagers were awful and disrespectful and couldn't behave themselves, etc. I found this quite offensive, as I can certainly behave myself, not to mention save up for an expensive doll and take care of it probably just as well as anyone else can. I don't have my doll yet, but it's only a matter of time.

The point of view that all teens ('kids') are immature and rude, and incapable of looking after something expensive, strikes me as silly. I mean, I've met ten year olds more mature than some adults.

If the interest is serious, why can't younger people participate?

 

I'm 17, and apparently, I looked like I was 14, therefore I was treated as such, but wow, a new haircut changed that xD

Anyway. In the group here in Houston, I am the youngest one of the group, the other 17-year olds are months older than me, so, it still makes me the youngest ='D I think that I'm also one of the newr ones to the group in Houston, so, I feel like the baby sometimes xD

Oh, and I worked all summer lifegaurding, to get the money for my first doll.

I got a TAN for my doll -shot-

 

someone can be a child in age of 40 and someone can be an adult in age of 15. that's my opinion. i think bjd's are for those who will love them, take care of them and just be a good owner and have happiness because of dollfies. i'm 28

 

I just turned 14 this month, but I think this hobby is for all ages. But it's true that adults have more to spend on those pretty dolls. I'm saving for a long, long time, but haven't got the exact money >.<

 

I think one of my favorite things about the BJD hobby is that it's really accessible for a wide age range. At meets you have people from 12 to 60 who love BJD. I think that's pretty cool.

 

It upsets me to see that most children these days dont cherish their dolls anymore. They ask a barbie for christmas and within a month or two she's laying upside down in the toxbox with her hair in knots.
I personally think that children these days (mostly girls) dont have childhoods anymore. They are more interested in Cellphones and make up even at age 9. They dont care about dolls anymore. atleast most of them dont. Thats why I encourage Children to play with dolls. To have a childhood while they can.
I dont think smaller children have the responisibility to take care of a BJD. But I think from ages 13 and up They are very capable of taking care of them.

 

I agree with Tannie in so many ways, but mostly her last comment. I believe that you should at least be a teenager before getting a BJD, because when I think of myself at 12, I would have destroyed one, then gotten bored with it, and sold it at a garage sale within a week :/ SHAMEFUL, I know, but it's the truth.

I just don't think people under 13 would be mature enough overall, but it can still go either way.. there are some very mature 10 years olds and some very immature 16 year olds... >.>

 

Age is only number.
There are adults who behave like bad children, and teens who are interesting and mature. Fragile BJDs are not age appropriate for children, but teens certainly are not children. If you have a respect for your property and a lively imagination, I say enjoy your resin friends, whether 13 or 103.

 

I'm only 17 myself, but I think it's great that a lot of other teenagers and some pre-teens are into BJDs. You do need to be mature to look after a BJD and not destroy it, but I don't think age has much to do with maturity - I've known some extremely mature 10 year olds, and I know a lot of disturbingly immature people my own age or older who I wouldn't let within a metre of my doll, when he gets here. Most people who don't know much about them look at dolls and automatically think they should belong to a toddler or crazy old lady, which is hardly accurate. I like that people in this hobby are so much more open minded.

 

Nyaa, I don't think it's an exclusively older teen/adult hobby (Where would I even fall in that? I'm turning 16 soon...). I just think that people assume it would be because of the cost. Which, I must admit is looking like it will be very difficult to accomplish, but hey, if I can save money for anime cons I can save for a doll, too! *determined face*

Edit: Wow, I really agree with Tannie. I was just thinking about that the other day. I mean, I know when I was in third grade no one would admit that they still played with Barbies. If anyone had anything Barbie related, the other kids would say "O-oh, you still like Barbies?! *snicker* " It's really ridiculous that kids are like that, and that some girls feel that they're too old to be playing with dolls when they're at the age where they should be playing with dolls. (I continued to play with Barbies until I was about 11/12, though I was more secretive about it -_- Now it seems silly that I was so worried about kids at school finding out... Ah, well)

 

Personally, as an older bjd owner, I don't think age has anything at all to do with it. It comes down to the individual. If you are responsible and mature enough, then age shouldn't play a factor in it. Although the dolls are expensive, you can either save up or get it as a gift. As the mom of a 12 year girl, she got her first Tonner doll (yes, I know, "cringe - fashion doll") at the age of 11 and she understood that it was a more expensive doll than
Barbie and she takes very good care of it. I think it's only a matter of time before that interest shifts into bjd's, as she sees mine and shares the love of dolls. (And she had to save her own money to buy the Tonner dolls, which I think makes her appreciate them all the more. It's her money down the drain if she doesn't take care of them! The same with her Nintendo DS and MP3 player -- she had to buy them herself).

Like a lot of people above have said, we all know 40 year olds who act like my 8 year old son and we know a lot of younger people (10 and up) who act way older and mature. It comes down to your character and maturity. Dolls transcend age..... (thank goodness!!)

 

I'm 16, so I consider myself a 'kid'... Well, maybe not a -kid- kid, but I'm not an adult... I guess... This whole adolescence thing is confusing o-o.

Anyway, I have 2 bjds, but, honestly, I've seen older people whose bjds are still wearing sock dresses >->;
I think what matters is how much you care for your doll, no matter the price of it.
It's none of my buisness if you're too young to work and convinced you parents to buy you something very expensive.
As long as you cherish and take good care of them it's ok for me &#186;u&#186;

 

I don't agree that the hobby is exclusively for children or adults. Although money is less of a hastle to get as an adult (though not in all circumstances) and bjds can be ordered by the individual, and bjds can be looked at as decorated dolls made for display, they are also fun to play with, make clothing for, etc., which automatically targets any age group who enjoys crafting, sewing, clothing design and fashion, etc. Children, on the other hand, can have a hard time getting bjds (though this doesn't mean bjds are for adults). I can say that when I ordered my bjd, I had my parents do it because I wasn't old enough for my own paypal or cred. card. They had a huge say in whether I got my bjd because they were the ones 'controlling' my money.

Bjds are definitely for both children and adults (though obviously not for those so young that they'd rip the heads off, or anything...unless they were restringing....

 

I'm around that age, too...so..like..I'm sorta surprised people would say that kind of stuff. I'm sure I'm mature enough to handle BJDS (plus I annoy the crap out of everyone with my n00b pre-owner questions. -_-; [gaah, do you know how much sacrifice I'm spending on that doll? A LOT!)
I dunno what to put now. I can't form sentences.
I guess: If you can get them and actually care for them then go ahead and get them. If you can't, shame on you. D:

 

Adults may appreciate dolls' material, art value more, but kids may appreciate emotional value more.

Still, it all comes down to whether or not you can handle taking care of them or not. If you can act responsibly, age is not an issue. My 13 year old cousin? I would not let her touch Shasta this Thanksgiving. She can't understand responsibility of a lot of things, like other people's property. My 7 year old cousin, from the other side of the family? Shasta's already been handled--SAFELY, by her. I trust her more than my 16 year old cousin, the 13 year old's sister. She may be 16, as many of you are on here, but she can't understand the value of a thing, and therefore would not be able to appropriate it well enough to handle it correctly. Don't get me started on their brothers. D:

*edit* Came across this in the Q&A board for Luts:
"LUTS, I know you have many pretty dolls but some of my friends can't buy because of the PRICE. They all want to buy dolls so they requested me to ask you " CAN YOU HAVE a DISCOUNT for your dolls?we want to buy dolls the price was too big for us!!!!"

I'm disgusted by this type of behavior. If you can't understand that expensive things can't just be given to you, you cannot properly take care of said expensive thing. I feel like apologizing to Luts for these immature spoiled brats. A few years ago, I thought I'd NEVER be able to get a doll because of the price. Did I have the gall to ask for a DISCOUNT? NO! How insulting!

 

Hello, I have an eleven year old daughter and she's such the opposite of me...she loves stuffed animals and though she appreciates my BJD's, she doensn't necessarily want one of her own just yet. I think she knows that whenever she handles them, to be gentle (but I never worry because she's always pretty respectful of my things) and she is quite mature about their anatomy. She knows of my love for these dolls and likes to position them in poses and have tea parties and sometimes we change their clothes together but her interest isn't at a higher level of "I must have one for myself" just yet. In a way, I'm hoping she will want one of her own later on down the road but because I"ve amassed quite a collection, she knows that if she feels like playing with one, its no problem, I'm perfectly fine with it and when and if the time comes for her to want one fo her own, I would help her out a bit with the financial part.

 

Ah ah! I'm 27, turning 28 in a few days!

I absolutely don't think bjd are for kids. They are SERIOUS business (I just bought my first Unoa, and I find myself sanding her and everything...)!

There is no age to appreciate the beauty of these dolls, and it's so fun to take pictures. Even if you find yourself being unable to paint your own dolls, at least you can improve your photography skills.

 

I'm not sure when you're classed as an adult, really. I'm 20 but that doesnt mean i'm OLD, eh?
To me, the hobby is welcome to anyone who can genuinely get joy, happiness or satisfaction from it. I can understand why people would frown upon a kid being into the hobby, but I see no reason to forbid all children simply because many would not understand it. After all, are there not also ADULTS who would not understand or respect the hobby of collecting expensive dolls?

 

well i am 18, and honestly i think it's pretty respectable if a young person, 15 or under, puts the time into getting the right doll for themselves and then taking really good care of it.

i got into dolls when i was 15, but i had no urge to learn about them, but the fire was resparked when i was 17, and i have been hooked since.

 

i put in the full work around 14-15 to save up for a doll but my parents in the end say no in case i lost the money online [not much i could do to change their decision and i wasn't going to do anything behind their backs so i left it at that]

i'm barely any older [year] but i believe no matter what age you'll have a different sense of maturity and , i know adults with no respect for these types of things - so no, BJD are a general age thing, if you give a kid a doll and attach some sentimental value to it sometimes they are more likely to look after it more carefully because they know it's "special"

it's a personality thing really